The Trauma & Mental Health Report Podcast

Author: traumareport

The Trauma & Mental Health Report is an online magazine published out of York University in Toronto. We aim to share stories and knowledge on topics related to trauma and mental health with the community. Visit us at: https://trauma.blog.yorku.ca
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Language: en

Genres: Health & Fitness, Mental Health

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EP68: Rethinking Parasocial Relationships: Harmless, Helpful, or Misunderstood?
Episode 70
Thursday, 9 April, 2026

As social media grows, our connections to the people we see on screens continue to deepen. The term “parasocial relationship” has been spreading through online discourse, but are these relationships inherently negative? In this episode, writer Natalie Joly speaks with Dr. Gayle Stever, an expert in parasocial relationships and author of Parasocial Experiences and The Psychology of Celebrity. They discuss common misconceptions surrounding these nuanced relationships and how the term is often misunderstood and misrepresented.